Chelsea captain Reece James has urged his teammates to remain focused and patient after suffering their first defeat of the 2026/27 Premier League season.
The Blues lost 2-1 to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, September 6, despite taking an early lead through Morgan Rogers.
Kai Havertz equalised for the hosts before Martin Ødegaard completed Arsenal’s comeback in the second half. The result left Chelsea with six points from their opening three league matches.
Despite the setback, James believes Chelsea have made a positive start to the campaign and should not allow one defeat to affect their confidence.
“We’ve had two wins from three in the league. It’s a small bump in the road but we’ll be back,” the England international said.
James also called on his teammates to concentrate on their own progress rather than becoming distracted by the performances of other teams.
“We have to focus on ourselves and not let other teams distract us,” he added.
The defender stressed that the Premier League season is still at an early stage, with 35 matches remaining after the first three rounds.
“It’s game week three; we have 35 more to go. With time, patience and hard work we will be in and around it,” James said.
Chelsea’s encouraging start has come during the early stages of Xabi Alonso’s reign. The club won their first two league matches before Sunday’s defeat, although they have also conceded seven goals across their three games, highlighting an area that will need attention.
James’ comments show the belief within the Chelsea camp that the team is still adapting to Alonso’s methods. The manager has overseen a major squad rebuild and introduced an aggressive style of football, with the club bringing in several new players during the summer transfer window.
